High-profile independent candidate Esther Rantzen, who fronted an 'anti-sleaze' campaign in the wake of the expenses scandal, has failed in her bid to enter Parliament.

The That's Life star finished fourth out of the 12 candidates vying for the Labour seat, finishing with just 1,872 votes.

Labour retained the seat despite former MP Margaret Moran being forced to stand down after it
emerged she claimed £22,500 to treat dry rot at a property in
Southampton - 100 miles away from her constituency.

Ms Moran was barred from re-contesting the seat, and Labour then fielded Cambridge graduate and local church
leader Gavin Shuker, who won Luton South last night with 14,725 votes.

He finished more than 2,000 votes ahead of Conservative candidate Nigel Huddleston.

Ms Rantzen contested the seat on an 'anti-sleaze' platform in a bid to clean up Westminster following the expenses scandal.

Asked if she was disappointed, Ms Rantzen said: 'He's a very nice young man.'

Ms Rantzen said standing in the election had been
'worth it' and did not rule out standing elsewhere in the future.

She said: '(To stand again) I would have to have the same feelings
of passion for the town and be inspired by the same sort of strong
emotion that Margaret Moran aroused in me.

'But my mum taught me never to say never.'

She described taking part in the process as a privilege and admitted she had not expected to win.

'I was expecting this,' she said. 'All the experts tell me it's
quite impossible to get in on a General Election as an independent
candidate.